Finance Assistant (Part-time)

Support GFI’s mission with strong financial administration and reporting

The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a nonprofit think tank working to make the global food system better for the planet, people, and animals. Alongside scientists, businesses, and policymakers, GFI’s teams focus on making plant-based, fermentation-enabled, and cultivated meat delicious, affordable, and accessible. Powered by philanthropy, GFI is an international network of organizations advancing alternative proteins as an essential solution needed to meet the world’s climate, global health, food security, and biodiversity goals.

How You Will Make a Difference 

In this part-time (50%) role, you will have the opportunity to support GFI’s financial reporting by serving as administrator of the GFI U.S. team’s Abacus expense application and assisting the Finance team with Chase corporate credit card tasks that impact transaction processing in Abacus. The Finance Assistant will be responsible for:

General Financial Administration

• Serving as the primary Finance team reviewer for staff credit card and reimbursement transactions in Abacus, following department review.
• Reviewing expense coding, confirming compliance with expense thresholds outlined in GFI’s policies, and verifying itemized receipts and transaction descriptors. 
• Following up on Abacus transactions that require edits or corrections in coordination with department Executive Assistants.
• Ensuring timely expense submission by generating Abacus and email reminders. 
• Administering reimbursements for expenses covered by external groups as well as staff reimbursements for personal charges made with a GFI credit card.
  • Ensuring accurate coding in Abacus, generating invoices in GFI’s accounting software QuickBooks, helping the recipient navigate reimbursement options, and following up on payment.

Reporting and Reconciliation

• Maintaining an Abacus Incident Tracker to assess and recommend follow up actions or policy improvements to resolve repeat issues.
• Generating reports from Abacus to analyze monthly unprocessed transactions, transaction volume by account or department, and other reports as needed.
• Reconciling the credit card statement to QuickBooks on a monthly basis.

Additional Related Duties

• Hosting monthly Abacus training sessions as well as other occasional staff training sessions upon request.
• Ensuring timely collection of tax forms (such as W-9) and payment details from new vendors.
• Supporting periodic spot checks of staff reimbursement claims to JOON, GFI’s Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) service provider, for compliance with policy parameters.
• Performing other related duties as assigned and as time permits.

Who We’re Looking For 

The Finance Assistant must have:

• At least 1 year experience administering reconciliations (for example: expense processing platforms to credit card statements; employee benefits; mortgage payments to mortgage statements).
• Experience using Excel and/or Google Sheets to manage expenses and reconciliations.
• Attention to detail and commitment to deadlines.
• Patience and a commitment to coaching non-finance staff on expense management practices, as well as interest in identifying and resolving policy gaps in response to non-finance staff feedback as appropriate.
• Experience using Abacus or a similar expense processing application.
• Accounting and/or accounts payable experience preferred.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels like they belong.
• Comfort working remotely and in a rapidly growing and evolving organization.
• Strong support for GFI’s philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in plant-based & other alt proteins, public health, environmentalism, climate change, animal protection, or hunger relief.
• A commitment to GFI’s values: believe change is possible, do the most good we can, share knowledge freely, act on evidence, and invite everyone to the table.

We want the best people and we don’t want biases holding us back. We use a third-party anonymizing tool to redact personal information from submitted applications — including name, location, contact details, and several other factors — to reduce bias and increase fairness in our process. We strongly encourage people of every race, color, orientation, age, gender, origin, and ability to apply. Since we value a diverse workplace, we prioritize an inclusive climate absent of discrimination and harassment during the application process and after you join the team. 

Research indicates that men tend to apply for jobs when they meet just 60% of the criteria, while women and people from other marginalized groups only apply if they are a 100% match. If you are passionate about GFI’s mission and think you have what it takes to be successful in this role even if you don’t check all the boxes, please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

The Fine Print

• Terms of employment: Part-time, non-exempt; 20 hours per workweek Tuesday - Friday; specific schedule flexible within standard daytime working hours
• Reports to: Julia Hart, Senior Finance Manager
• Location: Remote; United States 
• Travel: Up to two weeks per year for organization retreats (reasonable accommodations and exemptions considered on a case-by-case basis).
• Benefits: Working from home, full medical coverage, optional dental and vision packages, a 401(k) plan with employer match, flexible holiday and vacation plans, lifestyle spending account, opportunity for advancement, respectful managers, and supportive colleagues. More information here: https://tinyurl.com/GFIBenefits. 
• This is a U.S.-based position: In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 
• COVID vaccination policy: GFI requires all US employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be requested before the start of employment. GFI will consider requests for accommodations or exemptions from this policy on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with applicable laws. More information here: https://tinyurl.com/GFICovidPolicy. 
• Salary: $32,933.42

Important Dates

Application deadline: March 8, 2024

Anticipated start date: On or around April 15, 2024